Different Careers with a Law Degree

You’ve just graduated from that fancy Boston law school, passed the bar and are ready to take on the legal world, right? Well, you might have to explore some alternative options until the job market gets more lucrative. The recent economic slump has many individuals with law degrees seeking out other employment opportunities. Fortunately for those degree holders, a law degree is a valuable asset that can open the door to many different career opportunities.

Consulting is a booming field that is growing each and every year. Consulting is simply providing advice in a particular area of expertise. Whether it’s being a law consultant or a financial consultant, you would be advising companies, firms, etc. on the best practices regarding your given expertise. Consulting is wonderful because it allows you the opportunity to use the skills and knowledge you acquired through your education and use them to improve a given company.

Many consultants also work for a couple different companies, which allow them the luxury of having variety in their day-to-day jobs. You can consult for a Fortune 500 company one day, a non-profit the next and a government agency the next day. The variety and flexibility in consulting is one of the major attracting agents for both legal and financial consultants.

Another rewarding career option is teaching. From being a high school government teacher to a tenured professor in an esteemed law school, teaching is a wonderful position that allows for flexibility that is not necessarily available in the courtroom. In 2010, the median annual wage of a law professor was $107,990, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In addition to the generous pay and scheduling flexibility, being a law professor gives you the opportunity to impart knowledge and advice to the many young men and women pursuing a legal profession.

Becoming a legal analyst is another option for those holding law degrees. Legal analysts work to solve legal problems, develop written communications which summarize legal issues and discuss diverse approaches to legal challenges. The beauty of legal analysts is that they have the choice to work for a variety of different employers. They can work for law firms, government agencies such as those that provide veterans education benefits to soliders, private organizations, and beyond. Analysts perform a range of tasks from analyzing the language in ballot initiatives and translating them into simple, understandable language for voter information guides to assisting organizations mount legal challenges to laws which they believe are problematic.

Entrepreneurship is another career opportunity that is available to those with finance degrees and law degrees. From starting your own business to cashing in on a new enterprise, entrepreneurship can be one of the most fiscally and intrinsically rewarding careers out there. A degree in law would place you in the prime position to be able to pursue your entrepreneurial endeavors, having your law background to keep you grounded and firmly rooted in the best practices.

As was duly noted, holding a law degree doesn’t confine you to solely becoming a lawyer. There are career opportunities outside of the traditional lawyer role. A law degree is a valuable asset to every company and organization, resulting in a wide range of career opportunities for those that hold such valuable degrees. If the current pool of lawyer jobs is shallow, take rest in knowing that your alternative options are nearly endless!